Share
VIA Rail refuses to move on concessions; strike votes begin
Dear Members,
Council 4000 and Local 100 master bargaining committees met with VIA Rail from May 6 to 9 under the conciliation process. What unfolded at the table this week was a complete failure by the employer to bargain seriously or respectfully.
VIA Rail continues to bargain in bad faith.
The employer returned to the table with the same sweeping concessions it had already put forward—concessions that your committees have rejected repeatedly. Not even one of these regressive proposals has been removed.
Let us be clear: we will not wait around while the employer drags its feet. We are now moving ahead with strike votes.
We urge all members to participate and show this employer that we are united and prepared to defend what we have earned and to fight for our future.
At a time when the employer should be working to rebuild trust, it is instead compounding the damage. VIA Rail’s credibility at the bargaining table is in question—and so is its commitment to reaching a fair deal.
Despite this, your committees accepted an additional week of bargaining scheduled for May 26. That date is now VIA Rail’s opportunity to correct its course. It must come to the table prepared to bargain seriously, remove its concessions, and provide a meaningful response to the union’s proposals.
We encourage all members to stay engaged and informed through union channels or by visiting the bargaining website.
In solidarity,
Council 4000 and Local 100 VIA Rail Master Bargaining Committees
